


Simply the best

by Poteto



Series: Miraculous [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, Minor Character Death, Miraculous Ladybug AU, Off-screen death, Oikawa is there too I guess, Villain with ridiculous name
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-20 08:21:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13142742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Poteto/pseuds/Poteto
Summary: Ladybug is gone and Chat Noir is the only hope the city has. Daichi thinks that's enough.





	Simply the best

**Author's Note:**

  * For [HomeForImaginaryFriends](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HomeForImaginaryFriends/gifts).



> And this is my piece for the first ever KuroDai Discord Exchange!!! Surprise, Courtney!! It is I, your secret santa!! I've always wanted to write about Chat Noir!Kuroo and your request of Any Show AU gave me the perfect excuse!! I hope you find this fun to read! Why Kuroo is still Chat Noir and not Kuro Neko, even though they aren't in Paris? Psshhh. Don't think too much about it.

Sawamura Daichi has lived in a shitty neighborhood for years now. It's the best he can afford with his nurse salary, so he can't really complain. His mothers keep begging him to come back to Miyagi, of course, but doing so would mean admitting failure and Daichi is too prideful for that.

Call him stupid for sticking to a decision he made as a hopeful student fresh out of college, but living in Tokyo has been his dream since he was a kid. It was the reason he worked so hard on volleyball, so he could earn a sports scholarship. It was the reason he worked his ass off every day at the hospital to afford a one-room apartment in a sketchy neighborhood. He wanted to enjoy the big city and maybe make a difference. Save some people and whatnot.

Granted, Tokyo wasn't the happy place it was when Daichi graduated. Since it was Tokyo that changed so radically, it wouldn't be a shame to just say _fuck everything this town has become_ and go back home. Except that, as shitty as it is, it still is the town of Daichi's dreams. And he's a nurse, for crying out loud. He wants to think he can help the city go back to what it once was.

Call him naive. He knows he's aiming for the impossible, but what can he do except hold onto hope?

Tokyo hasn't been the same since the death of Ladybug, Japan's number one hero. However, if believing things might get better makes Daichi a stupid country boy, then he doesn't want to be a big city person.

The sun has yet to rise and Daichi is returning home after a gruesome night shift. There had been an akuma attack and several civilians were involved. Daichi really missed Ladybug and her power to reverse whatever damage the akumas had caused.

As sleepy as he is, Daichi still stops by the dumpster behind his building - a charming landmark - and fishes a small package of cat food from his pocket. There's a particular stray cat that's been around often and Daichi is trying to win her over and take her in by giving her food whenever he has the opportunity.

He's thinking the amount of trash bags is higher than usual and wonders if his cat got lost in the middle of the dirt when his sleepy eyes register the odd dark shape on top of the bags. It looks almost like a human being. Daichi shivers when he thinks of bodies being sent away in bags back at the hospital. Suddenly feeling bad, he's about to drop the food wherever and hurry inside, stray cat be damned, when a nearby street lamp flickers, illuminating the alley for a brief second. The trash bags move. Daichi freezes on the spot.

The oddly shaped bags look human because _they are_ human. A tall, lean man clad in black leather.

"Oh my God," he gasps, rushing to the man's side. "Are you okay? Can you hear me?"

With deliberate caution, Daichi slowly turns the man around, earning a soft groan that settles his nerves a little. The man is alive.

"It's going to be okay," Daichi says in his most reassuring nurse voice. "I'm going to help you."

In the dark alley, there's very little that Daichi can see of his features until the man blinks slowly. His eyes are strikingly yellow, almost to the point of glowing. Daichi almost lets go of the poor fool when the street light flickers again and Daichi finally realizes that the man is not only clad in leather, but he's also wearing a matching black mask.

Daichi has found a very hurt, very unconscious Chat Noir.

 

 

Daichi runs around his apartment. Maybe this is all a weird dream. Maybe he died of exhaustion in the middle of his last shift and this some sort of afterlife hallucination. He stops at the bathroom and slaps some cold water at his face, just in case this is really happening.

"Tokyo's superhero is unconscious on your couch," he tells his reflection. "He probably has a concussion. This is not the time to get hysteric."

As far as pep talks go, it isn't his best, but it's enough to get him moving again. Carrying first aid supplies, he rushes back to the living-room-slash-bedroom-slash-kitchen. Chat Noir is exactly where Daichi left him, a tall man clad in black leather, wearing a mask, a freaking superhero unconscious on his couch. CHat Noir’s uniform is torn in several places and there is a blossoming bruise on his left cheek, his masked eyes still closed.

Daichi settles his first aid kit next to the couch-slash-bed and starts working. As tired as he is, this is still his job and his body seems to remember what to do and what to look for. He checks his breathing, his pulse. He looks for broken bones and severe injuries, although there's only so much he can do without the proper equipment. As far as he can tell, there are no broken bones, but the shoulder is definitely dislocated. There's a high probability of a concussion too.

Now... what does he do? Had this been anyone else, he would have already called an ambulance. This is Chat Noir, though. The only thing standing between Tokyo and complete chaos. A hero, whose identity should be kept a secret. Daichi knows that not everyone at the hospital he works is trustworthy, he can't simple trust an unconscious masked hero to a bunch of strangers. It isn't his place to decide that.

A beeping sound distracts him, drawing his attention to Chat Noir's hand. He frowns when he realizes the noise is coming from a small black and yellow ring. Without thinking, Daichi reaches for it.

A gloved hand suddenly grabs his wrist before he can even touch the ring and Daichi lets out a shameful yelp. The grip on his wrist tightens and he feels the weight of two bright feline eyes on his face.

"Who are you?" A deep voice demands.

Chat Noir is awake.

This isn't the first time Daichi is grabbed by a suddenly conscious, scared patient, but given the situation, he takes a little longer to find his voice.

"I'm-" He clears his throat. "I'm Sawamura Daichi. I am a nurse and I found you unconscious a couple of minutes ago. I think you might have a concussion."

Chat Noir tries to sit up and falls back on the cushions with a pained groan. He looks around in confusion, looking every bit of a jumpy cat. Daichi does his best to sound soothing and calm when he speaks again.

"It's fine. You're safe here. I want to help you."

Bright yellow eyes turn to him, suspicious. Daichi holds his gaze, although he feels his cheeks getting a little warmer. This is probably not the best time to remember the brief period in his freshman year in which he had an embarrassing celebrity crush on Chat Noir. Now that he can look closer, he has the opportunity to see how sharp Chat Noir's cheekbones are, how he isn't as skinny up close, although he's still leaner than Daichi. And he's tall. Really tall. The leather outfit really isn't helping.

"You're just a civilian," Chat Noir says as though he's reassuring himself.

"That's right," Daichi tries to smile as he used to in high school when he had to encourage insecure first years. "And I want to help you. Is that all right?"

Chat Noir hesitates, still measuring Daichi. His suspicion breaks Daichi's heart.

Not because he expects to be universally trusted, God, no, but because Chat Noir is a hero. He should be used to people throwing themselves at him, eager to help him in any way they could. Instead, he's used to being attacked from every direction. Chat Noir has dedicated himself to protect everyone from Hawkmoth and his akumas to the point he became like a stray cat that got tossed around so often it no longer trusts humans.

Another beeping noise makes them both jump. Chat Noir gives his ring a concerned look.

"You wouldn't happen to have any apple pie, would you?" He asks.

Daichi frowns, confused. "What?"

"Apple pie," Chat Noir repeats, "do you have it? Or any dessert, really. It's important."

It sounds important. Daichi stands and browses his small fridge. There's no apple pie, but he finds leftovers of the melon bread Oikawa brought last time he stayed over. Daichi brings it to Chat Noir.

"Is this enough?"

"Yes, I-" Chat Noir makes a pause. "Can I have some privacy?"

"You want privacy to eat bread?"

"I'm gonna need to detransform a bit."

"Oh. Sure. I'm gonna..." Daichi looks around. There isn't much he can do except locking himself inside the bathroom or going outside.

"Just turn around for a minute," Chat Noir suggests.

Daichi obeys. It wouldn't usually be a good idea to turn your back to a stranger in an empty room at the crack of the dawn, but this is Chat Noir. If there's one person that deserves trust, it's him.

Behind him, Chat Noir mutters, "Kenma, claws off," and golden light fills the room for a moment. Daichi is tempted to turn around, but he controls himself. The fact that Chat Noir is right behind him, unmasked, is a little overwhelming.

He hears a soft voice saying something he can't make, despite the small space. Chat Noir's deep voice asks the second voice to shut up and eat. Daichi waits.

"Kenma, claws on," Chat Noir says after a while. Golden light fills the room again. "Good. You can turn around now."

Daichi does. Chat Noir looks infinitely better. He's sitting up and his suit has been magically restored somehow, although his cheek is still swollen and slowly becoming purple.

"Can I properly examine you now?" Daichi asks.

"You could," Chat Noir says carefully. "Sawamura, was it?"

"Yes," Daichi says, reaching for his flashlight.

"Well, thank you for helping me, Sawamura," Chat Noir says with a small smirk. Daichi's heart skips a beat and he has to work hard to focus on the task at hand. "Usually I'm the one doing the saving. It's gratifying to be on the saved end, if a bit embarrassing."

"You might be a superhero, but you're human too, right?" Daichi holds the flashlight in front of Chat Noir's eyes. "You shouldn't push yourself too hard. Now follow my finger."

"My, my, how nice of you." Chat Noir's slim pupils follow Daichi's finger without problem. "You're a very gentle man, Sawamura.”

"I'm doing my job. Are you in pain?"

"In the presence of such a handsome young man? I can barely feel a thing."

Chat Noir is flirting with him. He's probably just messing around to lighten the awkward situation, but it makes Daichi's heart race anyway. He reacts in the only way he knows: by glaring at him as though he's reprimanding him. Chat Noir seems too tired to be embarrassed, so he just gives Daichi a worn smirk.

"I took a beating, so it feels like I got run over by a car. My shoulder kinda hurts more than the rest. You should have seen the other guy, though."

Daichi ignores that and takes a closer inspection of said shoulder. “I can put it back in place, but it’s going to hurt. And you should go easy on it for a while.”

“I don’t exactly decide when I’m going to need to work hard,” Chat Noir says, eyeing Daichi suspiciously. He probably has had dislocated shoulders before and he knows the process of fixing them.

“Well, unless you want Tokyo to have a superhero with a useless arm, you better try,” Daichi says.

That distracts Chat Noir enough that he drops his smirking façade for a moment. He stares at Daichi, dumbfounded, and Daichi thinks this is the first time he’s seeing a genuine expression that night.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been called that.”

“What?” Daichi raises an eyebrow. “Someone with a useless arm?” And he quickly pushes Chat Noir’s shoulder into place.

The startled shout of pain makes Daichi smirk a bit. “Almost as good as new.”

"You are one sadistic nurse, has anyone ever told you that?"

Daichi laughs a little. "Why, thank you. I try to be."

Chat Noir blinks slowly, as though Daichi's laughter makes him as dizzy as his presence in general makes Daichi. Daichi can swear he flushes a little under the bruises. Which probably means Daichi's brain is a little fried after everything that happened.

"I think I should get going," Chat Noir says. He stands slowly, carefully checking himself for other injuries. He's clearly used to this.

"You still need medical attention," Daichi protests. "In an actual hospital." Then something occurs to him. "You can afford going to a hospital, right?"

All those jokes about being a stray cat had Daichi worried. Chat Noir laughs.

"Yes, I can," he says. "Don't worry your pretty head anymore."

Chat Noir heads to the porch and Daichi follows him closely. He wants to point him to the door instead, but, before he can say anything, Chat Noir turns to him in a swift twirl that makes his tail wip around. He looks like a cat about to pounce at its prey.

"Now, how can I repay your kindness, Sawamura Daichi?"

Daichi is so surprised by that question that he hears himself blurting, "you can't."

Chat Noir tilts his head to the side, looking a little disappointed. Daichi quickly amends:

"I mean, there's nothing to repay. You were hurt. I just helped a bit."

"You're a nurse. Shouldn't you take care of people in exchange of money?"

"I already have a salary. Besides, I presume you're not giving me your address so I can send you a bill."

Chat Noir's eyes sparkle. "Not really, no. I can pay you in other ways, though."

Daichi swallows, telling himself he's imagining the flirtatious tone in Chat Noir's voice. Chat Noir used to be known for being a flirt, sure, but he's not like that anymore. Not after Ladybug died.

"Put that on the human decency tab," Daichi says. "If you found an unconscious guy on the street, you probably would help too, right?"

"Yes, but..."

"Look, how many times have you saved the city?" Daichi asks, effectively shutting him up. "If anything, I'm the one that's in debt with you."

Chat Noir stares at him with that curious empty expression once more. Daichi waits, but it seems that he rendered the superhero speechless.

Finally, right before the silence becomes awkward, Chat Noir smiles. He reaches for Daichi's hand. Chat Noir - the Chat Noir - kisses Daichi's knuckles. It takes all of his will power to hold back a giggling fit.

"In this case, thank you very much, Sawamura. I can say that you made this night much better. And not just because you saved my life." And he winks.

Chat Noir honest to God winks at Daichi, which makes him think _what a dork_ , but at the same time makes his stomach do somersaults at how charming that was.

Before Daichi recovers, Chat Noir takes a step back and, with a last smirk, leaps from the porch to the next building.

"Wha- Be careful!" Daichi shouts after him. "Go to a hospital!"

He thinks he hears Chat Noir laughing in the distance before his neighbor from upstairs shouts a gruff "shut up!"

Daichi wonders if this is the last time he'll see Chat Noir.

 

Ladybug and Chat Noir have always been a pair. Partners, two complementary pieces of a whole, best friends and lovers. They used to protect the city together. The time they were active were the most peaceful years Tokyo had ever experienced. Crime plummeted and citizens felt safe and happy.

Everyone loved the heroes. Ladybug was everyone's favorite, of course. She was strong and confident, swinging around saving people and giving everyone hope. Chat Noir has always been a tad less popular, but he had his share of fans as well. He was but a sidekick, sure, but he was cool looking and just as willing to protect as Ladybug. When Hawkmoth arrived and citizens started turning into monsters called akuma here and there, the superheroes didn't disappoint. They would outsmart Hawkmoth everytime and Ladybug could always heal and revert the damaged caused. For years, it seemed everything would be all right.

But then Ladybug died during one of the attacks. Chat Noir disappeared for days and, when he finally came back, he wasn't the smirking superhero he'd been before. And he would always do his best, but it wasn't enough. Chat Noir had the power to destroy, a power that wasn't easy to use for protection. Not when he had no way of fixing the mess the akumas created.  Not without his other half.

Even then, Daichi refused to give in to despair. Chat Noir was grieving, but he was still doing his best. Daichi would try his best as well. He might be no superhero, but he would try to save the city as well, one band-aid at the time.

 

Oikawa sets tea on the table and says, "drink it."

Daichi stares at it in confusion. "I didn't order this."

"No, but I changed your order," Oikawa says simply and, at Daichi's glare, he huffs. "Well, excuse me if I take better care of you than you do. For a nurse, you have pretty unhealthy habits."

Daichi doesn't want to admit Oikawa is right, so he grabs the cup of tea grumbling something inintelligible and takes a sip. He pulls a face at the bitter taste, but that makes Oikawa smile with satisfaction.

"We could meet up at a more agreeable place, you know," Oikawa gestures vaguely at the hospital's coffee shop. "No offense, but this is kinda depressing."

"I have to be around in case there is an emergency," Daichi explains.

"That defeats the purpose of going on a break, don't you think?"

Daichi doesn't say anything at that. He appreciates the fact that Oikawa takes the time to see him and catch up at least once a week and he likes Oikawa very much - you don't stay friends with your high school rival if he isn't a cool guy - but it annoys him too much when Oikawa is right - which, unfortunately, happens often.

"How's the article going?" Daichi asks.

Oikawa seems unimpressed by Daichi's obvious plead to change the subject, but, for once, he is kind enough to take the bait anyway. He starts describing his last article and the cute volleyball player he interviewed for it. Daichi smiles as his friend gets carried away and starts gesturing and talking loudly. Oikawa complains about his internship a lot, but Daichi knows he loves every part of his job. Daichi is happy for his friend.

"And I've been so busy I couldn't even update the Miraculous Blog lately."

Daichi takes a sip of his disgusting tea. "Is there a lot to report?"

"Well, not a lot, but there had certainly been things," Oikawa says with a pout. "Just watch me. One of these days, I'll get Chat Noir to talk to me."

That name brings Daichi memories of that night just a couple of days ago. He hasn't heard of Chat Noir since then, but he tries to disguise his interest. Oikawa has run a news blog (that you're not allowed to call a fan site, because that's derogating, apparently) on the comes and goings of Ladybug and Chat Noir since they were teenagers. He's one of the few (not) fansites that didn't close down after Ladybug's demise.

"If only he went back to how he was in the past..." Oikawa laments. "He could use some good publicity, you know?"

"He shouldn't need that," Daichi says.

He's thinking of the genuinely surprised expression on Chat Noir's face when he was called a hero. He thinks of the bruises and the battered body. Chat Noir kept fighting, despite losing his soulmate and he kept fighting to protect the city. It just pisses Daichi off that people find in themselves to complain, as they're the only ones that miss Ladybug. As if the one person that was closest to her wasn't the one in pain.

By Daichi's side, Oikawa lets out a saddenned sigh, but whatever he has to say on the matter is muffled by the ruckus outside. Both men turn to look in curiosity that quickly becomes horror when they realize people are running out of the hospital screaming.

"Akuma attack!" Oikawa says, jumping to his feet.

"Don't do anything dang-" Daichi starts, but his friend is already pulling the phone out of his pocket and rushing outside. "Damn it, Oikawa!"

Daichi and several of Oikawa's other friends already had the don't-run-toward-akuma-attacks-just-for-a-scope talk several times, but Oikawa is relentless. When he sees news opportunity, he'll take it without risk. The only person capable of stopping him is his photographer, Iwaizumi, that, unfortunately, isn't anywhere around the hospital.

Daichi has no option other than run after his idiotic friend to make sure he doesn't get himself killed.

The hospital is chaos - or at least more chaotic than it usually is. Right on the entrance hall they find a small crowd cornered in fear of a man dressed like a cartoon doctor and holding a clipboard giant needle. The akuma is mid super villain speech when Daichi arrives.

"... for I am Doctor Fear! And I will not be mocked any longer!" He screeches.

Daichi is wondering why all of the villains must have such cheesy names when he locates Oikawa behind the reception desk. How he got there so fast is beyond Daichi.

Doctor Fear (or whatever) swings his giant needle and one of the cornered people stands suddenly. It's a girl with short, light hair. Daichi would have mistaken her for a teenager if she wasn't wearing a nurse uniform similar to his own.

"P-please!" She squeaks. "I d-don't know what happened, but- these people d-didn't do anything wrong!"

Her small body does very little to hide the small crowd behind her, but she opens her arms in a poor attempt to shield them from view.

"You don't know what happened? YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED?" Doctor Fear cackles. "Patients always whining! Pushing me around, yelling at me! I'm not at fault for your diseases! I was doing MY BEST! And yet they ask for MORE, they blame ME when I'm not enough! NOT ANYMORE!"

Everything happens too fast. Doctor Fear raises his needle. The girl goes pale and tears start streaming from her eyes, but she doesn't move. Without thinking, Daichi takes off his own shoe and throws at the akuma's head.

"Hey! Doctor Lame!" He calls.

The akuma turns to him, his deformed face showing shock. Daichi vaguely notices that Oikawa is too horrified to hold his phone straight, a feat no horror has managed so far, as far as Daichi knows. He'd be proud of himself if there wasn't a murderous creature holding a giant needle and staring straight at him from the other side of the room.

"You think you got it bad?" Daichi taunts. "You're just a doctor. Writing prescriptions! Big deal! We, nurses, are the ones doing all the hard work!"

Later Daichi will wonder what the hell he was thinking. Or rather, he'll tell himself that he wasn't thinking at all. His little stunt is effective, though, because as terrorized as she is, little blonde nurse is already pulling the people on the corner to their feet so they can escape while Doctor Fear's attention is elsewhere.

Although that is great news, it doesn't necessarily means something good for Daichi as an individual.

"YOU DARE MOCK DOCTOR FEAR!"

"Fuck," Daichi says eloquently as he turns around and starts running.

In his defense, there isn't much he can do in a situation like this. Sure, he used to be an athlete and he still plays volleyball when he gets together with his friends, but he barely knows how to throw a punch. He's just a nurse. How the hell will he fight a supernaturally mutated angry doctor?

"COME BACK HERE, YOU INSOLENT LITTLE-"

Daichi feels something prickling his neck and his entire body goes flacid. Falling on his face while he was running full speed isn't a pleasant experience, but even worse is the fact that he can't move. At all.

Doctor Fear cackles loudly and Daichi can't even turn around to look at him. He can only hear his approaching steps and feel horror churning in his veins. They're just outside the hospital and there's no one around. Daichi doesn't even know the powers of this akuma. Will it kill him? Paralyze him for the rest of his life? The looming shadow of Doctor Fear appears in front of him and Daichi swallows hard.

"I'll teach you not to disrespect me," the akuma says.

Daichi closes his eyes.

"Paws off my prince," a voice says and Daichi feels himself being pulled away like a ragdoll.

He gasps in confusion and, for a moment, he thinks he's flying. First, he registers the smirking masked face next to his. Second, he realizes that he isn't flying, he jumping.

Or, well, being carried by a jumping Chat Noir. Semantics.

"And so we meet again," he says. "Are you all right?"

"You mean besides the akuma, the fact that I can't move and that you're literally climbing the side of a building as you carry me? Perfect."

"Don't you mean purrfect?"

"You drop me this instant."

"No can do, my prince."

Chat Noir only stops when they're at the top of the hospital - that is 4 stories tall, by the freaking way - where he settles Daichi carefully.

"Here, you should be safe here," Chat Noir says.

"You could have just pushed me to the bushes on the ground floor or something," says Daichi.

"Are you telling me you're not impressed by my skills?"

"NEEDLE!"

Chat Noir jumps out of the way right on time to avoid a flying stab like the one that paralyzed Daichi. The enraged akuma is floating a few meters above them and already preparing a new set of shots - because of course he can fucking fly.

"Rude much?" Chat Noir says. "I'm having a conversation with my friend here."

"STOP. MOCKING. ME!"

Daichi had never seen a hero fight except in the videos on Oikawa's blog. From where Chat Noir left him, however, he has a privileged position.

Daichi loses his breath as Chat swings his baton and jumps at the akuma, fearless. Why anyone would doubt Chat Noir is every bit of the hero Ladybug was is beyond Daichi.

He saved my life, he realizes. He saved a lot of people's lives and he hardly gets any recognition just because he doesn't have magic healing powers. So what if Chat Noir has the power of destroying things? So what he is incomplete without Ladybug? He's a damn fine hero despite losing his partner.

Daichi gets angry. He feels powerless. And not just because he's paralyzed on a roof, but because there isn't anything he can do against the akumas. He's just a regular human being. He can't stop the akumas like Ladybug did. Like Chat Noir still does on his own. Daichi wants to help.

Except....

He suddenly notices: the akuma is still holding the clipboard. He's not using it as a shield when Chat Noir attacks with his claws, he's not dropping it in order to fight properly... Almost as though the clipboard is important. As though his powers are coming form it.

"Chat!" Daichi shouts. "Chat, the akuma is on the clipboard!"

Chat Noir almost trips. "What?"

The distraction is a mistake. Doctor Fear lets out a victory exclamation and throws something Daichi can't see at Chat Noir. The hero gasps and stumbles backwards in pain and Daichi opens his mouth in silent horror. This is why you don't talk to people in the middle of deadly fights!

"Why, you little-" Chat Noir grits. "Didn't your mother teach you not to interrupt people's conversations?"

"Didn't I teach you not to disrespect DOCTOR FEAR?!"

"That's a dumb name," Daichi yells.

Akuma and hero freeze and turn to him in disbelief. Daichi still can't move, so this is probably the dumbest thing he'd ever done. This is the second time he draws the akuma's attention to himself, but how else is Chat Noir going to get that dumb clipboard? The akuma is too focused on him to let him get anywhere near it.

"You dare insult me again?" The akuma roars and, regardless of his ridiculous cartoonish doctor costume, Daichi does fear him.

"I'm telling you, the nurses in Silent Hill are far more terrifying than-"

"ENOUGH!" The akuma raises his giant needle, getting ready to throw it at Daichi. "You have made fun of me for the last time! I'm going to end you! FOR I AM DOCTOR--"

"CATACLYSM!

"Wait, what?"

It's too late. Chat Noir has touched the clipboard with his destructive powers. A horrifying scream comes from it as it cracks and disintegrates and Doctor Fear wails in pain. As problematic as he was, Daichi feels a little sorry for him.

Still, he sighs in relief as the doctor costume disappears and the man's skin returns to normal, revealing a common man underneath the monster. He falls to his knees, unconscious. Back when Ladybug was alive, she would have broken the clipboard and purified whatever monstrous thing came out of it. Now, Chat Noir has to use his ultimate power to destroy the akumas. Destroy, not purify. It isn't a painless process or a beautiful thing to watch, like what Ladybug used to do, but at least the civilian that had turned into an akuma would survive.

"That was insane, my prince," Chat Noir says, a little breathlessly. "You put yourself in danger."

"I was just here paralyzed," Daichi says with a shrug. "Thought I'd make myself useful."

Only then he realizes he can move again. He tries to stand and it feels as though he went through the most intense workout session of the universe, every single muscle in his body feeling sore. He tries to ignore his own discomfort and turns to Chat Noir.

"Are you okay?" He asks.

"Oh, I'm almost purrfect," Chat Noir says. "I mean, I've been lightly stabbed, but other than that-"

Daichi glares. "You what?"

Chat Noir shows Daichi his left arm, that he’s been holding close to his body, his right hand pressed to his bicep as if to stop the bleeding. He isn’t succeeding.

“I think he threw a scalpel at me,” he says as if it’s nothing.

“You- Oh my God, that is far from perfect, that is the opposite of perfect. We have to fix that right now.”

“Yeah, about that, I’m running out of time, so I should…”

“Step inside so I can patch you up? Yes, and you will,” Daichi says threateningly.

He almost died about 15 times in the past minutes, so there’s very little he fears right now. That and it’s his fault that Chat Noir was stabbed, so the least he can do is to force him to get proper treatment for his injuries. Even if he must bully him into doing it.

“All right, all right, I… Wait, we need to get that man to safety.”

“We can drag him inside so he doesn’t get sunburnt. He’ll wake up soon enough, won’t he? Come on, we should go before people realize the akuma attack is over.”

 

Daichi works in a fairly small hospital and, luckily enough, the highest floor is still desert, since most people ran from the akuma. He finds an empty room and locks the door, so no one will bother them, even when people start realizing that the effects of the akuma attack have passed.

“Let me see your arm,” Daichi asks.

“Huh. Prince, I really don’t have time to-”

“Your transformation is wearing out, right?” Daichi walks to a cupboard, getting the supplies he needs. “It’s fine. I won’t look. And I can give you something to cover your face while I patch you up.”

Chat Noir stays silent for a short moment.

“That’s very thoughtful of you,” he says in a quiet voice that doesn’t suit his flirtatious personality.

“Yes, yes, you saved my life, remember? I would say that being thoughtful is the minimum I can do.”

While Daichi has his back turned to him, a golden light fills the room and Daichi knows Chat Noir’s time ended. Once again, he could turn around and learn the identity of Tokyo’s superhero. Instead, he blindly hands out a surgical mask that Chat Noir takes with a little hesitation.

“Is it safe to turn now?”

“You—Yes.”

Daichi turns. He tries not to stare, he really does, but he’s seeing Chat Noir in his civilian clothes. The only think concealing his identity is a white surgical mask. Fortunately, Chat Noir’s regular clothes consist of red sweatpants and a white sweater that has a black cat face on a pentagram with the words “Black Meowgic” printed beneath. It’s distracting enough that Daichi doesn’t feel too tempted to take a peek at his face.

“You’re barefoot,” Daichi points.

“And you're missing a shoe. I was about to binge watch Naruto when I got a warning of an akuma attack. Didn’t have time to dress up.”

“I’m sorry, did you just say you were about to binge watch Naruto?”

“Hey. The classic was good. The beginning of Shippuden too.”

Daichi shakes his head as he grabs what he needs to clean the wound. “I can’t believe you watch Naruto. Never meet your heroes.”

“Aww, prince, so I am your hero?”

Daichi raises an eyebrow at him. “Of course you are.”

He doesn’t resist and looks then. He needs to see what kind of expression Chat Noir is making. Without his cat years, the unruly way his hair sticks out is more evident. Without his mask, his eyes aren’t supernaturally golden with narrow pupils, but light brown. They’re still pretty eyes, though. Warm and beautiful. Daichi can swear he’s seen those eyes before.

Chat Noir looks astonished at Daichi’s words, as though he can’t believe what he’s hearing. Daichi feels angry again.

“You know that you’re everyone’s hero, right? You’ve been protecting this city regardless of what it costs to you for years and you’ve been doing it on your own.”

Chat Noir hisses a little when Daichi rolls up his sleep to clean his wound.

“A lot of people don’t see it that way, prince. I’m not as good at this whole heroing thing as Ladybug was.”

“A lot of people need to pull their head out of their asses,” Daichi barks. “Ladybug was your partner, not your superior. Losing her must have been so hard for you and yet you kept going and helping everyone. You are as much of a hero as Ladybug was, Chat.”

“You… You sound a little like her. Like Ladybug.”

“Then you know I’m right.”

Chat Noir doesn’t respond to that, leaving Daichi to work in silence. In the end, he wasn’t lying about the lightness of his wound. It doesn’t need stitches, as Daichi feared and a simple bandage does the job.

“I’ll need you to reapply the medicine every time you shower and change the bandages at least once a day until it’s fully healed,” he says.

“Thank you,” Chat Noir says, his voice warm. He’s thanking Daichi for more than the medical attention.

“It was nothing,” Daichi says. “I could…” He hesitates for a second before finally adding, “I could keep helping you, you know? No offense, but you look like you’re pretty shitty at first aid.”

“None taken. I kind of am.”

“So, if you ever get seriously hurt and you need help of someone that won’t question… Well. You know where I live.”

“That makes me sound like a creep.”

Daichi shrugs.

“There’s a stray cat that comes to see me every other couple of days. What harm would it make adding another?”

Daichi can’t see, but he’s sure Chat Noir is smiling beneath the surgical mask. “I’d be eternally thankful for your help, my prince.”

Daichi crosses his arms. “You keep calling me ‘prince’. You forgot my name, didn’t you?”

Chat Noir laughs and says, “Kenma, claws on.”

Daichi closes his eyes against the light of the transformation. When he opens them again, Chat Noir is in front of him in all of his glory. The bandage is hidden beneath his black leather uniform, but it’s still there. The proof that Daichi has helped a superhero.

Chat Noir bows and takes Daichi’s hand, guiding it to his lips. He kisses it softly. “I’d never forget the name of my savior prince, Sawamura.”

Daichi feels himself blushing. Chat noir might be a tad ridiculous sometimes, but he sill makes Daichi's heart race when he acts like that.  _Keep it together, Sawamura._

 _"_ You must have someone that is worried about you," Chat says. "You should go back to them."

Daichi nods, but he can't help but to ask, "will we see each other again?"

Maybe this is wishful thinking, but Daichi can swear Chat Noir is blushing under his mask.

"I sure hope so, my prince."

Daichi probably should go looking for Oikawa to reassure him that he's fine, but he stays where he is and watches Chat Noir jumping out of the window and running away. This time, Daichi doesn't doubt that they'll see each other soon. And maybe it's wrong and selfish of him, given the dangerous circumstances required for such a meeting, but he can't wait. 

**Author's Note:**

> Aaand it's not over, oh no. I haven't showed you how much of dork Kuroo can be. There will be more fics in this universe. Just wait and see. There are a lot of cat puns I have yet to use.


End file.
